Transport

Once a dog or cat has been reserved for adoption or a foster in England found, they are prepared in the Romanian foster for transport.

 

This involves ensuring that all vaccination regimes have been completed, including rabies, worming, defleaing, etc, having all the health test completed and having all documentation prepared.  Every dog must have a passport and health book and every cat must have passport. It is also a requirement that all dogs and cats are microchipped before leaving the Romanian foster.

 

We use two main transport companies, Hope4Paws Pet Transport and HOPE Transport. These companies provide us with the dates that they are travelling to England and we book the number of spaces that we require.

 

The transports that we use hold Type 2 licences issued by both the UK and the EU. The vehicles are regularly inspected, and spot checked and must comply with strict regulations regarding size of cages, temperature, humidity, cleanliness and competence of the drivers to care for and handle the animals.

 

There are two drivers per van, the animals have individual spaces with access to water. They are regularly fed and cleaned.

 

The day before transport a “Transport Chat” is started up for all the adopters, fosters and admins. This is where all information regarding the transport updates is given out. This is also the point where the contracts are sent out and final payments made.

 

On transport day itself, the transport vans spend the day travelling around to the different fosters collecting all the dogs and cats. The microchip is checked again, and all documentation checked and handed over to the drivers.

 

Once the animals are all on board, transport travels to one of the Traces Centres in Romania, where all the documentation is again checked, export certificates issued, and welfare checks made.

 

Once Traces has been completed, the drive through Hungary, Austria, Germany and France to Calais begins. The takes around 24-26 hours, depending on border delays, traffic, weather, breaks etc. This is the time where the route is announced, and postcodes of the drops are checked again.

 

On arrival at Calais, they go to Pet Reception where again all the documents and animals are checked. Once Pet Reception is cleared, they are allocated a time to enable them to board the train for the EuroTunnel. The train journey takes approx. 35 mins to Folkestone.

 

At Folkestone the vans are cleaned and rearranged as there is generally a North and South van which transport the animals to their new owners. Estimated times of arrival are generally issued once the transport vans leave Folkestone.

 

We are with the adopters/fosters every step of the way, in direct contact with the Transport Companies and drivers.